Abstract

In 1918 Fåhraeus1 first noted an increase in the sedimentation rate of red cells in citrated blood in pregnant women. At once this was hailed as a new test for pregnancy; but it was soon found to be unreliable in the early months when, of course, its importance was greatest. The test is reliable for pregnancy after the twelfth week if no concurrent infection exists, but by that time its diagnostic value has necessarily been lost. Furthermore, it was soon discovered that acute and chronic infectious processes and malignant new growths had a marked effect upon the sedimentation rate.